Visma-Lease a Bike has continued the trend in pro cycling of World Tour teams snapping up junior riders, this time signing an American who will still be a junior next season.
And the new contract is not one that specifies he must go to the Dutch squad's U23 team for a period before riding in the top tier. Instead the teenager has been specifically contracted to to the World Tour squad.
Ashlin Barry will ride his final year as a junior with JEGG-SKIL-DJR Academy next year, the junior Dutch club team that effectively acts as a feeder squad for the Visma-Lease a Bike U23 and World Tour teams.
And once he has 2025 done and dusted, it is already decided under the terms of his new contract that he will ride for the Visma-Lease a Bike squad in 2026. He may ride for the U23 squad for a time before moving to the World Tour team, or he may bypass the development team.
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He is the youngest rider ever signed by the team directly to the World Tour set-up, albeit with a year still to go in the junior ranks, and perhaps some time in the U23 team.
Barry has won the US national junior road and time trial titles, along with victories in the Ster van Zuid-Limburg, Valley Sun Tour, Henderson Classic, and Tour du Bocage et de l’Ernée. He also won in the UCI Gravel Series Blue Mountains and took silver in the junior omnium at the UCI World Track Championships.
"We see immense talent in Ashlin, along with significant room for growth," said Robbert de Groot, head of development at Team Visma | Lease a Bike. "We are therefore very pleased that he will be part of our team in the coming years.
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"This is the first time we have signed someone so young directly for our WorldTeam. It reflects our confidence in Ashlin’s potential and underscores our belief in long-term collaborations. Only by working closely with a talent from a young age can we fulfill their maximum potential.
"Whether and how long he will race for the development team and when he will step up to the World Tour will depend on his progress.
"Thanks to our development pyramid, which includes a junior, development, and World Team, we can remain flexible and offer riders like Ashlin a tailored pathway to further their growth."
Barry's father, Michael Barry, rode as a pro for teams like Sky Pro Cycling, T Mobile, US Postal and Team Colombia HTC, and later admitted doping, but saying he only did so in the early part of his career. The teenager's mother is Dede Barry, the former US road race champion.
Barry, who was born in Spain and grew up in Canada but rides for the US through his mother's background, said he was delighted to sign for Visma-Lease a Bike.
"It’s incredibly inspiring to sign with the same team as riders like Wout van Aert and Jonas Vingegaard," he said. "They are great examples of how you can develop further within this team.
"Of course, I’m still very young and in the process of discovering my specialties. I believe the classics and time trials might suit me best, but I’m confident that this team is the perfect choice to guide me on that journey."
